Combined picture-frame and album



(No Model.)

, C. WIEDIGER.

COMBINED PIGTURBFRAME AND ALBUM.

No. 574,973. Patented Jan. 12, 1897.

' UNA;

llll II M1 1 I M v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CONRAD VIEDIGER, OF MILXVAUKEE, WVISCONSIN.

COMBINED PICTURE-FRAME AND ALBUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,973, dated January 12, 1897.

Application filed January 25, 1896. Serial No. 5 76,75 9. (No modelfi 1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CONRAD WIEDIGER, of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Combined Picture- Frame and Album, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which are a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in a combined picture-frame and album.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of device which can be hung against the wall and will approximate in appearance an ordinary pictureframe, or which, on the other hand, can be taken from the wall and opened out for use as an album, the device comprising a receptacle or receptacles capable of accommodating a number of leaves, in which are arranged photographs or pictures.

The invention also contemplates a novel form of hinge-joint for the leaves and a novel means for disconnectedly arranging said leaves within the receptacle or receptacles.

With the above primary object in view the invention consists of the devices and parts, or their equivalents, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the complete device. Fig. 2 is a top edge View of the device, partly in section, and showing the hinged parts of the frame partly opened out and several of the leaves also opened out. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on a plane indicated by the line 3 3, Fig. 2, with parts broken away. Fig. 4 is a sectional view through a fragment of the lower portion of one of the frames to show clearly the locking means therefor, and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section of one end of the device.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a receptacle, preferably of rectangular form, and consisting of a back piece, top and bottom pieces, and end pieces. This receptacle is divided centrally into two compartments by means of a transverse partition 6.

Hinged to the end pieces of the receptacle are frames 7 7 provided with glass-covered openings, through which the photographs or pictures contained in the receptacle may be seen. The inner edge of the glass-covered frame 7 is provided with a projecting lug S. This frame is intended to be thrown down upon its hinge first, and then the frame 7 afterward, so that the lug S of said firstnamed frame will be beneath or back of the inner end piece of the frame 7 Secured to the inner side of the lower portion of the frame 7, which projects beyond the receptacle, is a plate 9, said plate clamping between it and the frame a fiat spring 10, the free end of this spring extending upwardly toward the bottom of the receptacle. The upper end of the plate is bifurcated, and between the furcate parts is pivoted alatch 11, the outer edge of said latch being a straight or plain surface, against which the free end of the spring bears. The inner end of the latch is adapted to engage with a catch 12, secured to the bottom piece of the receptacle. The pressure of the spring on the flat outer edge of the latch will serve to hold said latch in engagement with the catch.

Vhen the latch is released by hand and thrown downwardly a certain distance, the free end of the spring will engage with the straight side edge of the latch and serve to hold said latch out of engagement. By reason of the lug S of frame 7 fitting back of the frame 7 it is obvious that the latch 11 just described and which is secured to the frame 7 will have the effect of locking both frames to the receptacle.

Upon opposite sides of and adjacent to the transverse partition 6 of the receptacle are cleats 13 13. These cleats abut against the back piece of the receptacle and are in width substantially one-half the width of the transverse partition. Also arranged against the back piece of the receptacle, in both compartments of said receptacle, are strips 14 14, which extend longitudinally of each compartment from the partition 6 and adjacent, respectively, to the top and bottom pieces of the receptacle. The outer surfaces of these .strips are on a downward slant from the transverse partition to the outer extremities of said strips.

In each compartment is arranged a series of leaves 15, preferably of cardboard, shown as adapted for holding cabinet-size photos, each leaf accommodating two'of such photos.

Each leaf, hOWQX'Ol, may, if desired, be arranged to hold only one photograph or more than two, or the leaves may be adapted for holding a picture or pictures, as best suits the convenience of the user. These leaves are hinged together in a novel manner. It will be noticed that the outer edge of the outermost leaf is at its rear edge tubular in form, as indicated at 16, Fig. 3, said tube forming a bearing for a rod 17, the extremities of said rod projecting beyond the edges of the leaf. Each of the succeeding leaves is provided at its corners with angular brackets 18, the forwardlyprojecting bearing-arm of each bracket being somewhat shorter than the similar arm of the succeeding bracket, so that the forward extremities of the bearing-arms of all the several brackets will be in line. These alined extremities are provided with registering apertures, through which the ends of the rod 17 pass. Each leaf is, advisably provided just back of the vertical member of the angular bracket with a metallic plate 19 to receive the ends of rivets or brads which eX- tend through the angular bracket and the leaf.

The top and bottom pieces of the receptacle near their outer ends are provided with inwardly-extending slots 20 20. Beneath the slot 20 is arranged a plate 21, provided with an aperture adapted to receive therethrough one extremity of the rod 17, the end of said rod being seated in the slot. The opposite end of the rod is seated in the slot 20 and extends therethrough above the top piece of the receptacle. A leaf 22 is hinged to the top piece of the receptacle at opposite ends thereof, and said leaf is provided with an elongated slot 23, which slot, when the leaf is thrown down, is adapted to register with the slot 20 of the top piece and to receive therethrough the extremity of the rod 17. Adapted to pass through the slot of the hinged lid is the shank of a turn-button 21.

In adjusting the leaves of a receptacle to place one extremity of the rod 17 is fitted in the, aperture of the plate 21 and the opposite end is seated in the slot 20, as previously described. The button 24 is then turned into alinement with the slot of the hinge-leaf 22. The leaf is next brought down, so that the head of the turn-button and the extremity of the rod will pass therethrough. All that now remains to be done is to turn the button 24 so that its head will lie transverse to the elongated slot 23. It is obvious that the leaves are thereby securely held in place, and that by the particular manner of hin gin the leaves together and hinging them in the receptacle said leaves can be turned independently and can also be turned together. In the first case the leaves turn on the rod 17, while in the gated slot 23 and then throwing the leaf 24; upwardly on its hinge to permit the removal of the rod 1.7. It is furthermore to be noted that by withdrawing the rod 17 from its bearing the several leaves become separated. In this way one or more of the leaves may be entirely removed, if desired.

It will be apparent that the hinged ends of a set of leaves will be thicker than the inner free ends thereof, and that if no means were provided to guard against it said leaves would not set perfectly level in a receptacle. It is for this reason that I provide the inclined strips 14: 11 and the cleats 13. As the greatest declination of the strips 11 is at the ends thereof where the hinge-joint is located, the receptacle will have its greatest depth at that point, and as the leaves gradually taper together from the hinge-joint toward the inner ends thereof the gradual inclination of the strips toward the partition will cause the leaves to lie perfectly level, the inner ends of said leaves being supported by the transverse cleats 13.

The partition 6 and the cleats 13 13 are provided centrally, respectively, with recesses 25 and 26. These recesses enable the fingers to be readily inserted so as to engage the edges of the leaves of one set if the glass-covered frame of one division is closed.

The top piece of the receptacle will of course be provided with screw-eyes 27 or similar devices for the attachment thereto of a suspending-wire.

When the device is hung against the wall, as in the manner of an ordinary picture, the photographs contained in the outer leaves of the respective sets of leaves will be clearly visible through the glass-covered frames and will present the appearance of an ordinary double frame. If, now, it is desired to inspect the photographs, all that is necessary to be done is to open out the glass-covered leaves, either singly or both together.

If preferred, the device can be hung on the wall at full length, that is to say, the glasscovered frames can be swung out on their hinges and the outermost leaves thrown over so as to rest against the inner sides of these glass-covered frames. The device will then exhibit at one time four dilferent sections of photographs. Again, it is obvious that the device can be taken down from the wall and placed upon a table and the photographs inspeeted, as in the manner of an ordinary album, eitherleaving the leaves within the receptacles or removing them therefrom, as preferred.

While I have shown and described in this application the device as consisting of two separate compartments, yet I do not wish to be understood as restricting myself to that particular number, inasmuch as the device can be composed of more than two divisions, or may consist merely of one compartment, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, of a series of leaves, provided at opposite ends with bearings, the bearings of each successive leaf being longer than the bearings of the preceding leaf, a single pivot-rod removably engaging registering apertures in the bearings, and a receptacle in which the ends of the rod are removably journaled, the construction adapting the leaves to be removed separately from the pivot-rod, and the pivot-rod to be removed from the receptacle.

2. In a combined picture-frame and album, the combination of a receptacle, a transverse cleat within the receptacle, strips extending longitudinally from the cleat the outer surfaces thereof being beveled toward their outer ends, a frame hinged to the receptacle and opening outwardly therefrom, and a series of hinged leaves, the free ends thereof lying on the transverse cleat, and the hinged joint being above the outer ends of the beveled strips, substantially as described.

3. The combination, of a receptacle having its top and bottom pieces provided with inwardly-extending slots, the bottom of the slot of the bottom piece having an aperture therethrough, a hinged leaf adjacent to the slot of the top piece and provided with an elongated opening adapted to be brought into alinement with said slot of the top piece, a button beneath said hinged leaf, one or more photograph or picture leaves, a pivot-rod therefor, the lower end of said rod seated in the slot of the bottom piece of the receptacle and passing through the apertured bottom of said slot, and the upper end of the rod seated in the slot of the top piece of the receptacle in line to be engaged by the hinged leaf, through the slot of which leaf the button is adapted to pass, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CONRAD WIEDIGER.

\Vitnesses:

ARTHUR L. MoRsELL, ANNA V. FAUST. 

